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Welcome back to Part II of our Squirrel Series...for those with the attention span of a...well a squirrel. Join us for some not so deep thoughts from your friends at Integrity Inspired Solutions.
On a quick side note for you other employers out there, I've found this is blog series is also a great way to motivate my employees to write their own content. Apparently they believe anything is better than this. Yet again I digress, on with the show.
The Power of Why? One of the most powerful things I’ve learned from every mentor I’ve interacted with is the power of this one question. With it, you can tear down strongholds that have been erected for 100’s of years.
Why are the business analysts the only ones allowed to talk to the end-user?
What is the reason you keep biting your fingernails at your age?
Why can’t the developer who’s always worked alone be allowed to work on a team?
Why do you always wear your hair that way?
Do all releases have to be scheduled a month in advance? What is driving that decision?
Why's does that guy always walk around the office barefoot?
Amazing though how often we forget this simple technique in our daily grind. Asking why gives you the ability to expose those long forgotten decisions that may no longer be applicable today. Nobody is questioning whether they were sound decisions when they were originally made. The question is simply do those same reasons still apply today.
I attended KCDC (Kansas City Developers Conference) this week and was extremely pleased to see how much more gender diverse the IT community is becoming. I remember the first few years of this event looked like a 'guys only' shindig. Kudos to the leadership of this event in how they went out of their way to encourage women in our industry to get involved. Having only 1 gender, race, or single type of thinking in anything can be unhealthy and I am excited to see this trend.
"Honey...I can't read your mind." I've been married 19 years this August to the most amazing woman in the world but even after 19 years, I'm amazed that she still expects me to know what is going on in that beautiful mind of hers without words. I am terrible at playing that guessing game. Maybe it's something I've done but I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DON'T TELL ME.
This same principle is alive in the inner workings of our teams. We've got to communicate people. If something is bothering you, you just have to put it out there. Sometimes it's messy and a pain to discuss but what's the alternative...run around being mad or grumpy all the time? People/teams can't change what they are aren't aware of so be vocal, present your issue in a calm collected way and brainstorm some solutions to those problems. Preferably without all of the emotional baggage you'll likely have when dealing with your significant other but if that comes with it, then so be it. It's more important to shed light on those problems and attempt resolution than leave them lurking around the dark destroying what you are all trying to do.
I am a Christian which in short means I try to follow the ways of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I'm amazed everyday at how following His precepts have guided me to this point in my career and are shaping Integrity as well.
We embrace team over individual accomplishments
Romans 12:4-6 describes how a healthy church should look...sounds suspiciously like a team to me
"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us."
We embrace servant leadership (i.e."do what I do" as opposed to "do what I say")
John 13:12-17 has Jesus teaching His disciples through His actions versus His words...He's in the trenches with them which is where I want to live with my team
"When he (Jesus) had finished washing their (His disciples/followers) feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
We embrace placing others (our clients and teammates) before ourselves
Philippians 2:3-4 - "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
We value showing kindness (love) and patience while mentoring others in our craft over abusing them with our "rightness/righteousness"...especially when they don't agree.
Luke 6:32 & 35 - "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back."
I realize the way we view the world is colored by our core beliefs yet I have difficulty writing off to chance how my life and career have led me down this path to where I am today. I think it is amazing how God continues to reveal Himself daily in new and unique ways like this. I don't serve a dead God but one who continues to live and breath today and hopefully everyone will see a bit of His light shining through me and our company. Rest assured when that doesn't happen, it's not Him, it's me.
Wow, that was long (and a bit deep) for a Squirrel series post...sorry about that...catch you next time.